Papers by Rossana Valente
ANNUARIO DELLA SCUOLA ARCHEOLOGICA DI ATENE E DELLE MISSIONI ITALIANE IN ORIENTE, 2023
In the period 2022-2023, intensive-systematic archaeological surface surveys, instrumental survey... more In the period 2022-2023, intensive-systematic archaeological surface surveys, instrumental surveys, and excavation trenches were carried out in the Vrestiza and Chani Derveni areas on the slopes of Mount Geraneia, following a fire that struck the area in 2021. Additionally, surveys were conducted in the area W of the site of Dami Mouchlizi, near the urban centre of Megara. The responses that the terrain offers to the research on the landscape evolution over time are proving increasingly rich and varied, and an attempt is made here to systematize the information gathered so far, including evidence on a Middle Byzantine farmhouse.
The Annual of the British School at Athens, 2024
This article presents the results of the 2008 excavation in the ancient theatre of Sparta conduct... more This article presents the results of the 2008 excavation in the ancient theatre of Sparta conducted by the British School at Athens and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Laconia. Focused on the west side of the cavea, work aimed to locate the southern edge of the Late Antique settlement between the theatre and the sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos; to establish the northern limits of the Late Antique settlement over the former orchestra; and to establish a more precise ceramic characterisation and chronology for the Early–Middle Byzantine period in Sparta. The area between settlement clusters on the acropolis and over the former orchestra was essentially open, with just a Byzantine terrace wall and path recorded. In the north-west part of the former cavea, a tomb built in the late eighth or early ninth century AD was used at least until the late thirteenth century for the burial of c. 29 individuals. This article presents the first results of a bioarchaeological study of the human remains, and studies of Byzantine pottery from the tomb interior and from the backfill of the pit in which the tomb was built (the latter including a notable quantity of Early Byzantine domestic ware). The 2008 findings are set in the larger context of research on post-antique phases in the theatre (drawing on the British School at Athens Archive) and on the material culture and urban topography of Byzantine Sparta. Almost all excavated contexts contained residual material of all periods. The article concludes with short catalogues of material which pre-dates the construction of the theatre and of inscriptions of all periods.
Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente, 2023
In the intricate geopolitical landscape of the Byzantine era, the Aegean Sea held paramount signi... more In the intricate geopolitical landscape of the Byzantine era, the Aegean Sea held paramount significance, both strategically and in terms of its economic and political importance. From the 7th c., with the expansion of the Arab Caliphate in the Mediterranean, Constantinople lost control over Asia Minor, various regions in the Near East, North Africa and Sicily. However, it secured its hegemony over the Aegean Sea. This Byzantine mare internum served as a pivotal hub within the commercial and maritime passage connecting East and West. Nevertheless, short and medium-range maritime cabotage sea networks have tended to be overlooked. To augment this field of research, this paper will scrutinise material culture evidence from the Middle Byzantine monastic complex at Hephaestia - Lemnos (Greece), excavated by the Italian Archaeological School at Athens in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Lesbos. The objective is to explore some of the various actors and commodities navigating the Aegean maritime pathways, which facilitated the exchange of goods, artisanal expertise and everyday life practices along the Aegean coasts and beyond.
European Journal of Post-Classical Archaeologies, 2023
We present insights into economic trends, manufacturing traditions and daily food practices acros... more We present insights into economic trends, manufacturing traditions and daily food practices across the Aegean region during the relatively poorly understood 7th-9th centuries AD. The data have been studied as part of the intensive systematic survey by the ‘Apalirou Environs Project’ (AEP), which investigates the historic landscape dominated by the Byzantine fortification of Kastro Apalirou, on the island of Naxos (Greece). The analysis and interpretation of ceramics, set in the context of an increasing body of evidence for the vibrant Early Medieval communities populating the island, demonstrates the significant role of Naxos in interregional maritime networks during this period.
Archaeological Reports , Volume 67 , November 2021 , pp. 155 - 170 , 2021
This paper aims to provide an overview of the diverse investigations and research questions that ... more This paper aims to provide an overview of the diverse investigations and research questions that have been addressed in the field of Byzantine archaeology in the Peloponnese since the last report on Byzantine archaeology, published in 2013. Since then, considerable amounts of new data have been brought to light and a significant number of new publications have appeared, revealing renewed development in this field of studies; this will be addressed here, with a focus on the Early Byzantine period
Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente, vol. 96, 2018
This paper presents the major types of Byzantine transport amphorae identified during the excavat... more This paper presents the major types of Byzantine transport amphorae identified during the excavations carried out in Ancient Corinth by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. While petrographic and chemical analyses have not been carried out yet on these amphora finds, wasters and the identification of kiln sites make a local manufacture of transport containers plausible. Some of these amphora types can be typologically ascribed to the Otranto amphora type 1 and 2. These transport containers are analysed here as evidence for a long-lasting manufacturing tradition already developed in Corinth since Late Antiquity and continuing into the Frankish period. The aim of this paper is to analyse the main characteristics of the local manufacturing tradition of unglazed ceramics within the context of cultural interactions among territories that are part of the Byzantine empire.
Journal of Greek Archaeology, 4, 2019
Pietra Ollare is the nomenclature for vessels made from basic and ultrabasic metamorphic rocks, q... more Pietra Ollare is the nomenclature for vessels made from basic and ultrabasic metamorphic rocks, quarried in the Central and Western Alpine regions. From the Late Roman to the Late Medieval period these soapstone artefacts were traded in the Italian Peninsula and Central Europe. However, their presence in Greece is almost completely unknown. Pietra ollare samples for the first time have been identified in Byzantine Corinth. Their presence highlights an important trade route which spread through the river ways of the Po Valley, then moving along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea commercial routes, reaching into the Corinthian Golf. Moreover, it can be inferred that pietra ollare were commercialized from the Italian Alps towards Greece as a secondary good, traded with other main products along this maritime route.
This paper presents an updated overview of specific types of unglazed, utilitarian vessels of the... more This paper presents an updated overview of specific types of unglazed, utilitarian vessels of the Byzantine
period from stratified contexts excavated at Ancient Corinth (ASCSA). Through quantification analysis by types and fabrics
it was possible to produce a revised typo-chronology of specific types of unglazed utilitarian vessels and analyse how these
vessels changed in shape and fabric over time and how the Byzantine socio-economic context and related domestic
environments influenced the quantity and quality of utilitarian objects. Furthermore, this paper illustrates how quantitative
studies of unglazed pottery by type and fabric can provide information on technological, economic, and social patterns and
economic change. It also illustrates how socio-economic factors affect the presence or absence, frequency, and relative
proportions of pottery types, how pottery can indicate the components of effective demand, and how it can function as an
important tool for measuring production and consumption behaviours when evaluated in relation to historical and
numismatic sources.
The IASA archaeological expedition continued to investigate the basilica complex located on the E... more The IASA archaeological expedition continued to investigate the basilica complex located on the Eastern harbour of Hephaestia, Lemnos. Investigations resumed in 2018, ninety-two years after the discovery of the site. During the 2019 excava- tion season, the structures of the Early Byzantine basilica were completely brought to light, as well as an associated room located north of the narthex. The stratigraphic excavations of the central nave of the Early Byzantine basilica revealed the overlying single nave of the Middle Byzantine church, cruciform in plan. Moreover, excavations below the apse revealed two structures that date to the Archaic-Classic and Hellenistic phases of occupation of this site. This paper presents the preliminary results of the 2019.
Journal of Greek Archaeology, 5, 2020
Conference Presentations by Rossana Valente
The BSA is delighted to invite you to an international symposium on 3 May 2023 at 9am-3pm (UK) / ... more The BSA is delighted to invite you to an international symposium on 3 May 2023 at 9am-3pm (UK) / 11am-5pm (Greece) taking place in-person in the Upper House at the BSA (52 Souedias Street, Athens, GR 106 76) and online via Zoom!
From Sparta to Lacedaemon: daily lifeways of a Byzantine city
This international symposium aims to bring together multifocal viewpoints to analyse the social and economic dynamics of Lacedaemon, as Sparta was known in post-classical periods. Combining archaeological, numismatic and textual sources, the papers presented in this symposium will shed light on the settlement trajectory of Sparta from Late Antiquity to the 14th century AD. Topics related to trade patterns, economic, social values and cultural identification will be discussed. Mutually informing research questions that the papers can address are:
Q. 1. How was the ancient city of Sparta reconfigured in the Late Antique and Byzantine period? What was the role of the ancient monuments in the post-classical city? How was the religious landscape defined in Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods?
Q. 2. What economic activities took place in the city? What type of crafts and trade took place in Sparta? How far was Sparta part of a regional and supra-regional trade network?
Finally, Sparta will also be related to the Laconian rural landscape to give an overview of the relationship between the city and its hinterland.
The programme can be viewed here:
https://www.bsa.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Sparta_symposium.pdf
To attend IN PERSON please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-sparta-to-lacedaemon-daily-lifeways-of-a-byzantine-city-tickets-612252442537
To attend ONLINE please register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HXpbCeqKRUqEGiWmv4f1NA#/registration
Organiser: Rossana Valente – r.valente@bsa.ac.uk
We hope that many of you can join us!
Ancient Worlds Manuscripts, Texts, Societies and Cultures colloquium 12 Sept 2022, Peking Univers... more Ancient Worlds Manuscripts, Texts, Societies and Cultures colloquium 12 Sept 2022, Peking University.
This paper provides an overview of diverse perspectives of research on the emergence of the Medieval cities in the Eastern Mediterranean world, with major focus on the case of Corinth (Greece).
The archaeological evidence at the core of this paper have been brought to light by the excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens since 1896.
13th Congress AIECM3 on Medieval and Modern Period Mediterranean Ceramics, Granada, Spain, 8-11 N... more 13th Congress AIECM3 on Medieval and Modern Period Mediterranean Ceramics, Granada, Spain, 8-11 November 2021.
A Western Byzantine Pole: the case of the Southern Adriatic Region
This session focuses on the d... more A Western Byzantine Pole: the case of the Southern Adriatic Region
This session focuses on the distinctive forms of interconnection, transition and adoption of cultures among the communities living in the Southern Adriatic region in the Byzantine period. From the 7th to the 13th centuries, the territories facing the Southern Adriatic Sea appear to become fluid frontier zones. During the during the 7th and 8th centuries, within the Italian peninsula and the Balkans, the Byzantine empire kept partial control over its territories, while the Longobards, the Avars and the Slavs respectively in Italy and in the Balkans, and by the 10th century the Arabs in Sicily, expanded their control over the Byzantine lands. Likewise, the Normans from the 11th century and the Latins during the 13th century imposed their authority also on some of these Southern Adriatic territories, while other areas of this region remain under Byzantine control. This state of affairs determined intricated political and diplomatic relations between these political authorities, generating movements of people and ideas, cultural exchange and connections, which lead towards unique artistic and cultural expressions. Core of this region of interchange was the 70 km wide Strait of Otranto, an important hub for the transfer of people and idea between the different districts of the Mediterranean Sea, and also a focal point of connection between the Byzantine Empire and the Western Medieval world.The communities living in the Southern Adriatic territories in the period under examination, through contact, exchange and migrations between Western Europe, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean experienced a high degree of connectivity and mutual influence, which impacted upon their social and economic organisation. This is visible in the material cultural record, in the manufacturing tradition and in linguistic peculiarities, as documented, for example, by the Hellenophone communities still present in Southern Italy today, or by the Slavic toponomies in the deep Byzantine Peloponnese.The aim of this session is thus to provide a characterisation of the peculiar Byzantine cultural identity of the southern Adriatic region from the 7th to the 13th centuries, creating a dialogue between different literary, archaeological and numismatic sources.
This poster presents the Red Slip Wares collected in the 'Apalirou Environs Project’ conducted on... more This poster presents the Red Slip Wares collected in the 'Apalirou Environs Project’ conducted on the island of Naxos, Cyclades (Greece). This research has been carried out by an international team of ceramic specialists of the Newcastle University and Edinburgh University in cooperation with the University of Oslo and the Greek Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Cyclades. The study of the ceramics from the survey highlights the significant presence on the inland territory of Naxos Island of a total of 32 specimens in LRC and ARS that testify the existing links between this territory and other centres of Mediterranean providing also new data on the changing nature of occupation in the area associated with the construction of Apalirou Kastro.
Talks by Rossana Valente
AthENIS – Athens Early Career Network of international Scholars, American School of Classical Stu... more AthENIS – Athens Early Career Network of international Scholars, American School of Classical Studies at Athens - British School at Athens, 31 March 2021.
Call for Papers by Rossana Valente
The identification and the distribution of a range of human activities performed in domestic area... more The identification and the distribution of a range of human activities performed in domestic areas and their immediate surroundings rely on a variety of archaeological datasets and methodological approaches. From the analyses of architectural form and layout to the distribution of artefacts in that space, archaeological research investigates peoples' activities within inhabited spaces, as well as the social and cultural divisions visible within these spaces. Nevertheless, assessing the functional characterization of space in dwellings and workshops may not be straightforward. An implicit distinction between working and living spaces might not have occurred and living spaces could have been used for a variety of functions. Moreover, valuable invisible evidence in the archaeological record requires interdisciplinary scientific approaches to properly investigate it. Limitations to our knowledge of the different activities performed in domestic spaces can be due to the perishable nature of some artefacts and architectural features, to the intentional maintenance and modification of spaces, to the nature of abandonment and to the destruction or post-depositional events. All these factors may heavily affect the archaeological record of various activities performed in inhabited spaces. This session invites papers investigating and discussing the use of multifunctional domestic contexts in the Mediterranean from the Neolithic to the Late Medieval periods, with the aim of debating on complementary methods of research to tackle the comprehension of space use. Interdisciplinary papers can approach the topic through distributional models of artefacts and ecofacts, micro-archaeological scientific approaches, architectural and spatial analysis, and ethnographic comparisons. The overall aim of this session is to bring together complementary and decisive datasets from interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research environments to embrace a methodological debate on the different approaches in the investigation of the various activities performed in domestic spaces.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS BETWEEN NEIGHBOURING REGIONS: THE MA... more CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS BETWEEN NEIGHBOURING REGIONS: THE MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDS
SESSION DETAILS
Session type: Oral presentation
Session ID: SA7
Session theme: Science and Archaeology
http://eaaglasgow2015.com/session/construction-techniques-and-transfer-of-technological-skills-between-neighbouring-regions-the-macroscopic-and-microscopic-archaeological-records/
Border areas have a documented history of cultural interaction between different groups. Historical and archaeological sources suggest that in those areas technologies were exchanged and skills transferred. Such mobility of technology and acquisition of new know-howhave a large impact on the socio-economic structure of a human group. Building forms and materials are the result of the assimilation of new technical and engineering skills, and provide evidence of their persistency in the building technology, together with the adoption of new models. This becomes especially apparent when looking at the spread of plaster/mortar technology, the exploitation of specific raw materials or changes in building shape and function. Therefore, the study of architectural remains in border areas is a crucial step in understanding the structure of past societies, and the way they related to different environmental settings and neighbouring groups.Previous research has been focused mainly on the macroscopic analysis of buildings (e.g. architectural forms). However, the last two decades featured an increasing attention towards the microscopic archaeological record, i.e. the chemical compounds that make up building materials and occupational deposits, which requires the aid of microscopes and spectrometers in order to be characterised (e.g. infrared/X-ray spectroscopy, soil micromorphology, phytoliths, etc.). The integration of the macroscopic and microscopic records provides a complete picture of the cultural contexts in which new building technologies were developed.This session aims at presenting integrative research approaches to building techniques in border areas during pre-modern times, which should address the following issues: provenance of raw materials as revealed by spectroscopic methods; extent of building shape diffusion and its cultural significance; role of the microscopic record in the interpretation of architectures; evolution and spread of plaster/mortar technology; identification of activity areas within architectural remains; preservation of the archaeological record and effects of post-depositional processes on buildings.
Postgraduate courses by Rossana Valente
📅 22 July - 2nd August 2024
💥 Two weeks of lectures and skills-based training
💥The objective ... more 📅 22 July - 2nd August 2024
💥 Two weeks of lectures and skills-based training
💥The objective of this course is to gain wide-ranging insights into the role of material culture in Byzantine life and belief, and the role that art, architecture and practice played in shaping experiences and medieval worldviews
💥 Fieldtrips to the Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas, Orchomenos, Athens, Corinth and the Byzantine town of Mystras
💥 Unprecedented access to the BSA Archive's 'Byzantine Research Fund' collection
🔗 Find out more and apply: https://www.bsa.ac.uk/courses/byzantine-archaeology-and-history-course/.
Uploads
Papers by Rossana Valente
period from stratified contexts excavated at Ancient Corinth (ASCSA). Through quantification analysis by types and fabrics
it was possible to produce a revised typo-chronology of specific types of unglazed utilitarian vessels and analyse how these
vessels changed in shape and fabric over time and how the Byzantine socio-economic context and related domestic
environments influenced the quantity and quality of utilitarian objects. Furthermore, this paper illustrates how quantitative
studies of unglazed pottery by type and fabric can provide information on technological, economic, and social patterns and
economic change. It also illustrates how socio-economic factors affect the presence or absence, frequency, and relative
proportions of pottery types, how pottery can indicate the components of effective demand, and how it can function as an
important tool for measuring production and consumption behaviours when evaluated in relation to historical and
numismatic sources.
Conference Presentations by Rossana Valente
From Sparta to Lacedaemon: daily lifeways of a Byzantine city
This international symposium aims to bring together multifocal viewpoints to analyse the social and economic dynamics of Lacedaemon, as Sparta was known in post-classical periods. Combining archaeological, numismatic and textual sources, the papers presented in this symposium will shed light on the settlement trajectory of Sparta from Late Antiquity to the 14th century AD. Topics related to trade patterns, economic, social values and cultural identification will be discussed. Mutually informing research questions that the papers can address are:
Q. 1. How was the ancient city of Sparta reconfigured in the Late Antique and Byzantine period? What was the role of the ancient monuments in the post-classical city? How was the religious landscape defined in Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods?
Q. 2. What economic activities took place in the city? What type of crafts and trade took place in Sparta? How far was Sparta part of a regional and supra-regional trade network?
Finally, Sparta will also be related to the Laconian rural landscape to give an overview of the relationship between the city and its hinterland.
The programme can be viewed here:
https://www.bsa.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Sparta_symposium.pdf
To attend IN PERSON please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-sparta-to-lacedaemon-daily-lifeways-of-a-byzantine-city-tickets-612252442537
To attend ONLINE please register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HXpbCeqKRUqEGiWmv4f1NA#/registration
Organiser: Rossana Valente – r.valente@bsa.ac.uk
We hope that many of you can join us!
This paper provides an overview of diverse perspectives of research on the emergence of the Medieval cities in the Eastern Mediterranean world, with major focus on the case of Corinth (Greece).
The archaeological evidence at the core of this paper have been brought to light by the excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens since 1896.
This session focuses on the distinctive forms of interconnection, transition and adoption of cultures among the communities living in the Southern Adriatic region in the Byzantine period. From the 7th to the 13th centuries, the territories facing the Southern Adriatic Sea appear to become fluid frontier zones. During the during the 7th and 8th centuries, within the Italian peninsula and the Balkans, the Byzantine empire kept partial control over its territories, while the Longobards, the Avars and the Slavs respectively in Italy and in the Balkans, and by the 10th century the Arabs in Sicily, expanded their control over the Byzantine lands. Likewise, the Normans from the 11th century and the Latins during the 13th century imposed their authority also on some of these Southern Adriatic territories, while other areas of this region remain under Byzantine control. This state of affairs determined intricated political and diplomatic relations between these political authorities, generating movements of people and ideas, cultural exchange and connections, which lead towards unique artistic and cultural expressions. Core of this region of interchange was the 70 km wide Strait of Otranto, an important hub for the transfer of people and idea between the different districts of the Mediterranean Sea, and also a focal point of connection between the Byzantine Empire and the Western Medieval world.The communities living in the Southern Adriatic territories in the period under examination, through contact, exchange and migrations between Western Europe, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean experienced a high degree of connectivity and mutual influence, which impacted upon their social and economic organisation. This is visible in the material cultural record, in the manufacturing tradition and in linguistic peculiarities, as documented, for example, by the Hellenophone communities still present in Southern Italy today, or by the Slavic toponomies in the deep Byzantine Peloponnese.The aim of this session is thus to provide a characterisation of the peculiar Byzantine cultural identity of the southern Adriatic region from the 7th to the 13th centuries, creating a dialogue between different literary, archaeological and numismatic sources.
Talks by Rossana Valente
Call for Papers by Rossana Valente
SESSION DETAILS
Session type: Oral presentation
Session ID: SA7
Session theme: Science and Archaeology
http://eaaglasgow2015.com/session/construction-techniques-and-transfer-of-technological-skills-between-neighbouring-regions-the-macroscopic-and-microscopic-archaeological-records/
Border areas have a documented history of cultural interaction between different groups. Historical and archaeological sources suggest that in those areas technologies were exchanged and skills transferred. Such mobility of technology and acquisition of new know-howhave a large impact on the socio-economic structure of a human group. Building forms and materials are the result of the assimilation of new technical and engineering skills, and provide evidence of their persistency in the building technology, together with the adoption of new models. This becomes especially apparent when looking at the spread of plaster/mortar technology, the exploitation of specific raw materials or changes in building shape and function. Therefore, the study of architectural remains in border areas is a crucial step in understanding the structure of past societies, and the way they related to different environmental settings and neighbouring groups.Previous research has been focused mainly on the macroscopic analysis of buildings (e.g. architectural forms). However, the last two decades featured an increasing attention towards the microscopic archaeological record, i.e. the chemical compounds that make up building materials and occupational deposits, which requires the aid of microscopes and spectrometers in order to be characterised (e.g. infrared/X-ray spectroscopy, soil micromorphology, phytoliths, etc.). The integration of the macroscopic and microscopic records provides a complete picture of the cultural contexts in which new building technologies were developed.This session aims at presenting integrative research approaches to building techniques in border areas during pre-modern times, which should address the following issues: provenance of raw materials as revealed by spectroscopic methods; extent of building shape diffusion and its cultural significance; role of the microscopic record in the interpretation of architectures; evolution and spread of plaster/mortar technology; identification of activity areas within architectural remains; preservation of the archaeological record and effects of post-depositional processes on buildings.
Postgraduate courses by Rossana Valente
💥 Two weeks of lectures and skills-based training
💥The objective of this course is to gain wide-ranging insights into the role of material culture in Byzantine life and belief, and the role that art, architecture and practice played in shaping experiences and medieval worldviews
💥 Fieldtrips to the Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas, Orchomenos, Athens, Corinth and the Byzantine town of Mystras
💥 Unprecedented access to the BSA Archive's 'Byzantine Research Fund' collection
🔗 Find out more and apply: https://www.bsa.ac.uk/courses/byzantine-archaeology-and-history-course/.
period from stratified contexts excavated at Ancient Corinth (ASCSA). Through quantification analysis by types and fabrics
it was possible to produce a revised typo-chronology of specific types of unglazed utilitarian vessels and analyse how these
vessels changed in shape and fabric over time and how the Byzantine socio-economic context and related domestic
environments influenced the quantity and quality of utilitarian objects. Furthermore, this paper illustrates how quantitative
studies of unglazed pottery by type and fabric can provide information on technological, economic, and social patterns and
economic change. It also illustrates how socio-economic factors affect the presence or absence, frequency, and relative
proportions of pottery types, how pottery can indicate the components of effective demand, and how it can function as an
important tool for measuring production and consumption behaviours when evaluated in relation to historical and
numismatic sources.
From Sparta to Lacedaemon: daily lifeways of a Byzantine city
This international symposium aims to bring together multifocal viewpoints to analyse the social and economic dynamics of Lacedaemon, as Sparta was known in post-classical periods. Combining archaeological, numismatic and textual sources, the papers presented in this symposium will shed light on the settlement trajectory of Sparta from Late Antiquity to the 14th century AD. Topics related to trade patterns, economic, social values and cultural identification will be discussed. Mutually informing research questions that the papers can address are:
Q. 1. How was the ancient city of Sparta reconfigured in the Late Antique and Byzantine period? What was the role of the ancient monuments in the post-classical city? How was the religious landscape defined in Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods?
Q. 2. What economic activities took place in the city? What type of crafts and trade took place in Sparta? How far was Sparta part of a regional and supra-regional trade network?
Finally, Sparta will also be related to the Laconian rural landscape to give an overview of the relationship between the city and its hinterland.
The programme can be viewed here:
https://www.bsa.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Sparta_symposium.pdf
To attend IN PERSON please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-sparta-to-lacedaemon-daily-lifeways-of-a-byzantine-city-tickets-612252442537
To attend ONLINE please register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HXpbCeqKRUqEGiWmv4f1NA#/registration
Organiser: Rossana Valente – r.valente@bsa.ac.uk
We hope that many of you can join us!
This paper provides an overview of diverse perspectives of research on the emergence of the Medieval cities in the Eastern Mediterranean world, with major focus on the case of Corinth (Greece).
The archaeological evidence at the core of this paper have been brought to light by the excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens since 1896.
This session focuses on the distinctive forms of interconnection, transition and adoption of cultures among the communities living in the Southern Adriatic region in the Byzantine period. From the 7th to the 13th centuries, the territories facing the Southern Adriatic Sea appear to become fluid frontier zones. During the during the 7th and 8th centuries, within the Italian peninsula and the Balkans, the Byzantine empire kept partial control over its territories, while the Longobards, the Avars and the Slavs respectively in Italy and in the Balkans, and by the 10th century the Arabs in Sicily, expanded their control over the Byzantine lands. Likewise, the Normans from the 11th century and the Latins during the 13th century imposed their authority also on some of these Southern Adriatic territories, while other areas of this region remain under Byzantine control. This state of affairs determined intricated political and diplomatic relations between these political authorities, generating movements of people and ideas, cultural exchange and connections, which lead towards unique artistic and cultural expressions. Core of this region of interchange was the 70 km wide Strait of Otranto, an important hub for the transfer of people and idea between the different districts of the Mediterranean Sea, and also a focal point of connection between the Byzantine Empire and the Western Medieval world.The communities living in the Southern Adriatic territories in the period under examination, through contact, exchange and migrations between Western Europe, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean experienced a high degree of connectivity and mutual influence, which impacted upon their social and economic organisation. This is visible in the material cultural record, in the manufacturing tradition and in linguistic peculiarities, as documented, for example, by the Hellenophone communities still present in Southern Italy today, or by the Slavic toponomies in the deep Byzantine Peloponnese.The aim of this session is thus to provide a characterisation of the peculiar Byzantine cultural identity of the southern Adriatic region from the 7th to the 13th centuries, creating a dialogue between different literary, archaeological and numismatic sources.
SESSION DETAILS
Session type: Oral presentation
Session ID: SA7
Session theme: Science and Archaeology
http://eaaglasgow2015.com/session/construction-techniques-and-transfer-of-technological-skills-between-neighbouring-regions-the-macroscopic-and-microscopic-archaeological-records/
Border areas have a documented history of cultural interaction between different groups. Historical and archaeological sources suggest that in those areas technologies were exchanged and skills transferred. Such mobility of technology and acquisition of new know-howhave a large impact on the socio-economic structure of a human group. Building forms and materials are the result of the assimilation of new technical and engineering skills, and provide evidence of their persistency in the building technology, together with the adoption of new models. This becomes especially apparent when looking at the spread of plaster/mortar technology, the exploitation of specific raw materials or changes in building shape and function. Therefore, the study of architectural remains in border areas is a crucial step in understanding the structure of past societies, and the way they related to different environmental settings and neighbouring groups.Previous research has been focused mainly on the macroscopic analysis of buildings (e.g. architectural forms). However, the last two decades featured an increasing attention towards the microscopic archaeological record, i.e. the chemical compounds that make up building materials and occupational deposits, which requires the aid of microscopes and spectrometers in order to be characterised (e.g. infrared/X-ray spectroscopy, soil micromorphology, phytoliths, etc.). The integration of the macroscopic and microscopic records provides a complete picture of the cultural contexts in which new building technologies were developed.This session aims at presenting integrative research approaches to building techniques in border areas during pre-modern times, which should address the following issues: provenance of raw materials as revealed by spectroscopic methods; extent of building shape diffusion and its cultural significance; role of the microscopic record in the interpretation of architectures; evolution and spread of plaster/mortar technology; identification of activity areas within architectural remains; preservation of the archaeological record and effects of post-depositional processes on buildings.
💥 Two weeks of lectures and skills-based training
💥The objective of this course is to gain wide-ranging insights into the role of material culture in Byzantine life and belief, and the role that art, architecture and practice played in shaping experiences and medieval worldviews
💥 Fieldtrips to the Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas, Orchomenos, Athens, Corinth and the Byzantine town of Mystras
💥 Unprecedented access to the BSA Archive's 'Byzantine Research Fund' collection
🔗 Find out more and apply: https://www.bsa.ac.uk/courses/byzantine-archaeology-and-history-course/.
💥 Two weeks of seminars and skills-based training from leading experts
💥 Fieldtrips to the Monasteries of Dafni, Hosios Loukas, Orchomenos, and the Byzantine town of Mystras
💥 Unprecedented access to the BSA Archive's 'Byzantine Research Fund' collection
🔗 Find out more and apply: https://www.bsa.ac.uk/courses/byzantine-archaeology-and-history-course/?fbclid=IwAR2eHz-lBMqul-lRcvMeuY_DG3p2emnjk5amVFOhm_RbL02C-67uEUo_70o
Please do not hesitate to get in touch to ask any questions.
Speaker:
Prof. PAUL ARTHUR
(Università del Salento)
Title:
"Character and resilience of Byzantine Italy".
This event is organized by Dr. Rossana VALENTE (Post-Doc Fellow at the Italian Archaeological School at Athens).
The second Seminar of the 3rd Floor will be held on November, Friday, 24th 2023, at 5.00 p.m. in 'Doro Levi Lecture Hall', at the Italian Archaeological School at Athens.
Please register to attend IN PERSON in Athens here: https://forms.gle/aTsxM8ygu3MWy4cZA
Please register to attend ONLINE via Zoom emaling us at: iasaseminars2023@gmail.com
Topics presented fall within the wide-range of the Fellows’ research interests and address in particular the themes of their own projects.
The talks are aimed at providing opportunity for debate and discussion.
Attendance of young scholars and students is particularly encouraged. However, the talks are open to everyone interested.
Up to 50 attendees will be admitted.
To participate in person, attendees must register by filling up the following form:
Google: https://forms.gle/aTsxM8ygu3MWy4cZA
The seminars can also be followed online, via Zoom.
Please email us about 24 hours before each appointments at
iasaseminars2023@gmail.com
and we will send you the link to attend the lecture online.
Thank you!
and interpretation of ceramics, set in the context of an increasing body of evidence for the vibrant Early Medieval communities populating the island, demonstrates the significantrole of Naxos in interregional maritime networks during this period.